New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-02
SUBWAY MONOPOLY NOT WANTED.
WHY MAYOR HEWITT would HAVE rHE coNDUtTs


REMAIN IN THE CrTY's POSSESSION.
ALBANY. March (speciab.-The Senate Committee on
Cities listened TO arguments this afternoon the bill
proongDg the terms Of the Electrical Subway Commits
soners OF New.York Commissioners Hess and Gibbons
were present Assistant Corporation Council Scott
posed the bill while cOncediDg that Messrs Hess Gibbons
and Moss had done good work He said that Mayor Hew
lit thought that the work putting wires under ground In
New-York should be done by a Commission consist
ing Of the Board OF Estimate and Apportionment ana the
Commissioner of Public Works bill had been prepared
creating this Commission which could succeed Messrs
Hess Gibbons and Moss when their terms expired In
November. Mayor Hewitt also Of the opinion. Mr..
Scott stated that the electrical conduit should remain In
the cy's possession, otherwise ggancmonopoy would
be created 1t known that the Western Union Tee-
graph Company and the Metropolitan Telephone Com
pany had majority Of the stock Of the company now
constructing the conduits Commissioners Hess, Moss
and Gibbons desired that their contract with the construc
ton company should be confirmed by tho Legislature
The authorities Of NewYork hoped that this would not
be done Judge Van Hoesen had declared that the con-
enormous mcnopov WAS created nv ina, contract. he
knew that the commissioners had made arrangements
graph company, but practically II would be controlled BY
the Western Union Company II the city owned the con-
from the courts to compel tie city permit them
It. This would not be possible II the conduit Wa owned
by private company. Mayor Hewitt proposed that the
property OF the conduit company should be purchased BY
In making the contract with the construction company
and said that Ro.well p Flower, Iho was commissioner
when the contract was made. had taken great pains 20
make the contract OF such nature that no monopoly
The committee then decided to give the bill further
sideratfon.
THE NEW BILL DRAWN BY MR.. LACOMBE
The result Of the conferences between the city officials
interested In electrical subway affairs has been the drsft
ing by Corporation Counsel Lacombe Of bill which has
been approved by Mayor Hewitt This will be introduced
In the Legislature In few days. The following its
main provisions:
The Board q Estimate and Apporopnsnt and the commis
struoon All the powers BY the subway Com
mssoners within ten days passage
turn over to the Board ali books papers etc., Ia it poe
ducos and their supporting poles be removed from the
streets and the Board required as soon rs practcabe 70
and system Of UNDERGROUND conduits
subways or electrical conductors The condns shall be
Works tho aard and subject to ell eK
The Board is also 70 have power to acquire oy purchase at
sale conduits aubways already constructed I'M
der the authority OF the present Board Of subway Comm!s
sones and also patent right the exclusive right to use
patented article.
property Of the city and the Commissioner OF Public Works
shall I'VE the AMI control OF them. When enough con-
the Board may order the owners of overhead electrical
ducor TO place their wires in such conduit and remove their
passage OF tho private person TO
conduts erect poles fixtures and string wires
The board authorized fix fair scale of rents accord
change Ali ssees shall be charged the same
rate No shall be leased that are not actually used and
shall DE detrimen of
needing space The rentals be collected by the
Controller They TO be appropriated hrst TO tho payment
dus and the surplus to be turned into tho General Fund
for tho REDUCTION OF taxation For the payment ofexpenses Of
construction 0nds TO be Issued to bear not 10 exceed
per cent interest